…thoughts from a daughter of the King

Menu

Writing out Scripture by Hand

If you are like me, I type more than I write by hand these days. It is an outcome of the digital world in which we live. Are you active in Bible study? Do you read scripture? Have you ever considered handwriting special verses from your Bible?

“….he should write a copy of the teachings on a scroll for himself, a copy taken from the priests and Levites. He should keep it with him all the time and read from it every day of his life. Then he will learn to respect the Lord his God, and he will obey all the teachings and commands. Deuteronomy 17:18-19 NCV

There are so many benefits from writing out scripture by hand.

The act of handwriting slows you down from the quick pace of reading. When I slow down, the content of the scriptures seeps down into my soul.

There is something about physically writing down information that helps me retain it.

Handwriting is beautiful and intimately personal.

When you write it down, you can go back to reread and even make notes about ways the Scripture impacted your life.

Everytime I put my spiritual thoughts on paper, I am leaving a spiritual legacy. I plan to invest in the spiritual future of my children by passing on several things: my Study Bible with my notes and thoughts, my prayer journal with handwritten prayers for them and other members of our family, and my handwritten scripture. How much I would give to have some of my favorite verses written by my precious God-fearing grandmother’s hand!

When I realized I wanted to hand-write scriptures, I looked for some plans. Many people choose favorite verses, or verses that correspond with a Bible study in which they are currently participating. Some people write out a chapter of the Bible (i.e. one of the Psalms) or an entire book of the Bible (i.e. James). Others have chosen to write out all verses pertaining to a particular topic (ie. love, forgiveness). I chose to go by a monthly plan, a couple of verses every day for a month. References and samples at bottom of this post.

Once you decide which plan suits your needs, the fun part begins. You can choose to write your scripture on loose leaf paper, in a spiral notebook, or in a special journal. I bought a big collection of ultra-fine tip sharpie pens (but the will bleed through, causing you to write on one side only). If you want to doodle as you go, you might want some colored pencils or highlighters. You can make this a simple daily task or a beautiful piece of art, it’s your choice.